ELECRAMA, the flagship industry event organised by the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers Association (IEEMA), was held on February 18-22, 2023, at Greater Noida. The event, themed “ReImagine Energy – For a Sustainable Future”, showcased over 1,000 exhibitors from India and abroad. The five-day event also saw national and international industry experts and policymakers deliberate on industry challenges, innovations, and business models during a series of leadership summits and meetings. A number of digital technologies, IoT and AI-powered electrical systems, and other smart-tech solutions were showcased at the event. The following are some remarks from leading industry experts on the event…
Manish Agarwal, Director & CEO, India Transmission, Sterlite Power
“As the 3rd largest producer and consumer of electricity in the world, the power transmission sector in India is at the cusp of transformation. With an increased focus on net zero by 2070 and India’s renewable energy targets of 500 GW by 2030, the power transmission sector will play a critical role in connecting renewable generation centres to the national grid. As per the roadmap, the planned additional transmission systems required for having 500 GW of non-fossil fuel consist of Transmission lines of 50,890 ckm (circuit kilometer). This also includes 6500 ckm of HVDC transmission corridors amongst others and cumulatively presents an opportunity worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore in transmission infrastructure.
Against the backdrop, the requisite Power Transmission capacity to evacuate this generation has also been taken up at a vigorous pace to match the timelines of renewable energy projects. Presently, there are 20+ projects identified and are under bidding with an Implementation time frame of 18-24 months. For all the future projects under discussion, the implementation time frame is to be decided based on the difficulties involved in the projects, in general, the implementation schedule for projects with less complications should be 24 months. For special cases like transmission lines traversing through hilly areas and difficult terrain of J&K, Ladakh and North- Eastern regions, etc., the implementation time frame should be extended to 30-36 months on a case-to-case basis in consultation with the Generation developers as well as Transmission Service Providers. Given the extensive clearances and approvals required during the execution journey of the projects, the currently envisaged timelines for the TBCB projects are aggressive.
To achieve the energy transmission plan in a timebound manner, clearly, the land compensation stalemate needs to be addressed. To put in perspective, during the construction of transmission projects, obtaining the right of way (RoW) is under the scope of the transmission developer. The RoW compensation issue has become very critical and the completion of many important transmission lines is held up due to stiff resistance from the landowners whose land falls in the project path. Such difficulties are being faced in the construction of transmission lines in more or less all the states due to severe resistance being posed by the land owners/ farmers with the demand of higher compensation including demand for compensation for the diminution value of the land below towers and under the line corridor. They invariably demand enhanced compensation far in excess of the legally applicable rates prevalent when the projects are bid out. The developers have faced a variety of scenarios where recovery of the cost increase has been put into question by the regulator. The selection of bidders is another imperative for the success of the 500GW plan. At this junction, I believe that the selection criteria may weigh in delivery reliability, prior experience, capacity, and technological capabilities instead of price alone.
It is heartening to note the government’s efforts towards fast-tracking critical infrastructure projects that contribute towards nation building. Initiatives like obtaining pre-approvals from GIB committee ahead of awarding bids along with the package, regular NCT meetings, monthly monitoring framework effected by the Ministry to review the status of critical transmission projects and addressing issues with active participation to name a few have made a positive difference in clearing the bottleneck.”
Syed Sajjadh Ali, Managing Director, Electrical Sector, India, Eaton
“Elecrama is one of the largest congregations for players from the electrical and power sector in India. This kind of platform plays a critical role in empowering organizations to explore the most recent product and technological developments in the market. Our participation exhibits Eaton’s commitment to delivering high-performance, safe, reliable, and sustainable solutions for the electrical sector. As a technology leader, Eaton endeavors to ensure that its products and solutions meet the precise needs of the customers. In India, Eaton continues to expand its capabilities in both power quality and power distribution by introducing new products and solutions that address specific electrical power management needs of the country,”
Anil Chaudhry, Zone President, India and MD & CEO, Schneider Electric India Private Limited
“Our large presence at ELECRAMA 2023 aims to reinforce our commitment and actions towards a more sustainable India. Schneider Electric Group is proud to be the Sustainability Partner for Elecrama 2023. With our 2 Brand & 2 Sales Strategy, we aim to provide superior value to our customers by offering a wide range of technologically advanced products and solutions across portfolios, applications, and segments. I am also proud that we have completed six decades of our presence in the country. It has been a phenomenal journey, where a customer-first approach, constant innovation, and breadth of our offers across end markets gave us an edge. We will continue to support the Govt. of India’s vision of creating an Atmanirbhar Bharat in the Amrit Kaal and aim to further invest Rs 1400 cr over the next 2 years to meet ‘Make in India’ industrial ambition.
Asif Khan, Director, Purchase and Service, Servokon
“While Servokon has already won strong market trust with its high-quality power conditioning equipment and power & distribution transformers, we are now all set to contribute to the government’s mission to reduce the country’s overall carbon footprint. Our team has always embraced innovation and technology to manufacture the best-in-the-market products and will display that fervent dedication with solar products, too. The company’s move in solar energy is entirely in line with the Make in India initiative and is aimed at facilitating the government’s mission to build Energy Independent India.”
Venu Nuguri, MD & CEO, Hitachi Energy India and South Asia Region
“Power is the much needed fuel to usher the next level of growth in the country to reach our ambitions of sustainable growth. It is very encouraging to see R. K. Singh, Union Minister for Power, New & Renewable to make the clarion call for the energy companies to double their capacity to increase clean energy generation. Electricity will be the backbone of the energy system and play a vital role in writing the growth story of the economy. At Hitachi Energy, we have been investing in people and technologies. We recently inaugurated our 19th factory in the country which will support clean energy transition. This will further strengthen our efforts to advancing sustainable energy future for all.”
Rohit Pathak, President of IEEMA
“In the next 25 years, 50% of global energy consumption will happen through renewable sources. And, given the country’s preparedness and continuing efforts towards creating a future roadmap for energy transformation, I feel, time has come for India to establish itself as a major hub for global power requirements. We appreciate that Shri Piyush Goyal, Honourable Minister-Commerce & Industry, Govt of India is here with us today and that he understands the significance of what we are trying to build through ELECRAMA 2023. This is the largest energy exhibition in the world with 1000 exhibitors, and buyers from over 75 countries. We, at IEEMA, are putting more emphasis on sustainability and green activities in order to create a greener nation and have a good influence on the world. The power industry has undergone a major paradigm shift, and it’s important for institutions to promote sustainable practices.”
Vishwanath Rao, Managing Director, Altair India
“The demand for power and renewable energy continues to grow exponentially, and Altair is leading the charge helping our customers explore sustainable power generation, achieve efficient distribution, maintain reliable power grids, and transform the energy market using IOT and data analytics. Also, Altair’s simulation tools and technologies for product development, and backed by our HPC platform, provide valuable insights for all transmission and distribution components – power transformers, cables, electric switchboards, switchgears, contactors, relays, sensors, switches, and power electronics – as well.”